Auto heel protector



March 29, 1927. 1,622,859

v CHRISTENSEN AUTO HEEL PROTECTOR Filed April 20, 1926 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,622,859 PATENT OFFICE.

VIGGO CHRISTENSEN, 0F LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA.

AUTO HEEL rnorrnoron.

My invention is a heel protector particularly for use by drivers of automobiles.

An object of my invention is a protector hoards of the vehicle so that the front part of the foot may be moved to operate the brake, clutch and the accelerator pedals. In such case the heel becomesscuffcd and worn. lVith my inventioncovering thelback part of the shoe and heel the sameisprotected from this rubbing action.

My heel protector is preferably.molded to the shape'of the shoe to a certain extent and these protectors would be of different sizes and designs in accordance with-the differentshapes of shoes and in particular are of use with womens high heel shoesin which the back partof the shoeextendsconsiderably rearwardly from the heel proper. The protector clam 3S aroundthe heel and-iapreferably fastene by a suitable fastener underneath the arch of the shoe. I prefer to make the protector'ofsuch material as transparent celluloid or the like so that the device is quite inconspicuous when being worn and it is not necessary for the driver to remove the protector from the heels in leaving the automobile.

My invention will be more readily understood from the following description and drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an automobile, illustrating the manner in which my protector operates;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shoe with my protector attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the protector by itself, as if taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. fl is a front elevation of the protector as if taken in the direction of the arrow l of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the floor board of an automobile is designated by the numeral 1, there usually being an inclined board 2 at the front through which the foot pedals 33 extend. The seat 4 is frequently quite .low so that the operators heel 5 usually rests onthe floorboard. Thus if the heels are not protectedthe back part'of the shoe and the heel become scuffed, showing wear and rendering the shoe unsightly.

lVith my protector designated generally by the numeral 6, inplace ona shoe, the back of the shoe and the heel are protected from scuffing.

Referring more particularly .to the illustrations ofFigs. 2,3 and 4, it will vbe seen that the protector may be describedas having-a lower heel portion 7 adapted to fit on the upper part of the heel 80f the shoe 9. The protector has a flat lower edge :10 and at the back a concave curved portion 11 ;ad- Jacent the back of the heel and a convex portion 12 adjacent the back portion 13 of the shoe, this-extending upwardly a considerable distance on the shoe. The top free edge 14 is formed in a suitable curve or straight line,.leading over the side .15 of the shoe 7 adjacent the heel.

The ,heel portion' of opposite halves'extend to'a position midway .of the heel and then forwardly extending tener 18 which may be secured together to.

hold the flaps .17. tightly together, thus clamping the whole structure to tlleishoe.

The forward portion of the protector has an arched portion 19 adapted to fit snugly over part of the arch 20 of the shoe adjacent the heel. It will be noted as shown in Fig. 4, that there is a more or less distinct line 20 where the heel portion 7 joins the portion 21 extending up over the side and back of the shoe.

The manner of attachment of my protector is quite simple. It is intended that it will be molded to shape and when slipped over the shoe it naturally adjusts itself to the heel and the back of the shoe so that by pressing the dome fasteners the device is firmly attached in position. It may also be readily detached by disengaging the fasteners.

Although I have illustrated my invention as applied to womens high heeled shoes of the so-called French heel type in which the back of the shoe extends rearwardly a considerable distance behind the heel proper, it will nevertheless be apparent that the protector may be shaped and designed to fit other types of shoes.

I find that when the heel protector is made the protector is moldedJnwardly-at the front 16 sothat the of molded celluloid or the like, that the celluloid material has a certain resiliency which holds the protector securely on the heel and back of the shoe without utilizing the fastening buttons or the like 18, and that this celluloid may be quite thin and still have suliicient resilient properties to secure the protector on a shoe.

When the protector is made of transparent material such as celluloid or the like, it is quite inconspicuous. It will be apparent therefore that the general design and specific features of my invention may he considerably changed without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

.l-laving described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a heel protector, the combination of a shoe and a sheet material protector of transparent material molded to shape to fit over the back part of the shoe and the heel, the sides of the shoe and the sides of the heel, the material being molded to fit partly on the front of the heel and partly under the shank of the shoe, said material being of a resilient nature suflicient to hold the protector on the heel and back of the shoe.

2. A heel protector shaped to fitaround the back of the shoe and part of the heel, the protector being open at the front and havin flaps extending under the shank of the shoe, and means to secure said flaps together.

3. A heel protector having a sheet material construction shaped to fit the back of a shoe and part of the heel, having a molded part to fit the forward face of the heel and part of the shank of the shoe, flaps on each side of the protector in front of the heel and below the arch, and fasteners securing said flaps together.

4. A heel protector of molded sheet material, said ll'ltltBl'lll being transparent and being molded to the shape of part of the heel and part of the back of the shoe, and being molded at the front portions to conform to the front of the heel and part of the shank of the shoe, the free ends of the sheet material having flaps underneath the arch and forward of the heel, and means to secure said flaps together.

A heel protector constructed of transparent sheet material, shaped to fit the back of a shoe and part of the heel, having a molded part to fit the forward face of the heel and part of the shank of the shoe, the sheet material being of a resilient nature whereby the molded shape holds the protector on the shoe.

6. A heel protector of molded transparent sheet material such as celluloid, having a natural resiliency, said material being molded to the shape of part of the heel and part of the back of the shoe and being molded at the front portions to conform to the front of the heel, said material by its resiliency and being molded to shape causing the protector to be secured to a shoe.

7. An U-shaped heel protector having sheet material construction, said protector being shaped to fit the back of a shoe and part of the heel, said protector having a molded part to fit the forward face of the heel and part of the shank of the shoe, flaps on each side of the protector the heel and centrally located below the arch, and snap fasteners securing said flaps together.

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification.

VIGGO CHRISTENSEN.

signed my in front of 

